Burial-casket.



Patented May 7, I90I. F. DAHIN.

BURIAL GASKET.

(Application filed/Feb. 20, 1901J 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 673,596. Patented May 7, |90I. F. DAHIN.

BURIAL GASKET.

(Application led Feb. 20, 1901'.)

(un Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.'A

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK DAHIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS W. STOLTS,

OF SAME PLACE.

BU RIAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,596, dated May '7. 1901.

Application led February 20, 1901. Serial No. 48,032. lNo model.)

To @ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that LFREDERIOK DAH1N,a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, New York county, New York, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Gaskets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements inI burial-caskets; and it consistsin providing in the same a screen which is supported and operated in a novel and useful manner, so that it may be conveniently pulled over the opening or window commonly provided in the top of caskets at one end, as hereinafter claimed. The purpose of this screen is to prevent iiies and other insects from entering the casket. I-Ieretofore it has been the common practice to provide a suitable screen, such as gauze or glass, for said open portion of a casket; but the construction and mode of operation of the prior screens differs radically from the screen herein described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a casket, one end of the same being open and indicating the screen in position, the screen being show n in broken lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Figt is a plan view of a modification, illustrated partly in diagram.

A is the top frame of a casket. Bis the usual opening or window therein and at the head thereof. This opening may be entirely closed when desired by a suitable panel, (not shown,) which may be assumed to correspond substantially in outline to the panel C at the foot of the casket.

D is a sliding bar or slat which may partake of any ornamental appearance to harmonize with the outline of the end of the casket. This sliding bar D may be guided at opposite ends in an undercut groove in the side of the casket. In the groove in each side may be located in such manner' as to be invisible a guidingicord or wire E.

F is a screen made of suitable foraminous material of a sufficiently-fine mesh to prevent flies or other insects from entering the casket when the screen is closed. Each edge of the screen F may be doubled around the guidewires E E. One end of the screen F may be fastened to the sliding bar D, While the other end may be independently held in any suitable manner Within the casketffor example, underneath the center panel G.

H is a latch which may be provided to lock the sliding bar D in the position shown in Figs. l and 2. This latch may be controlled by the usual cord I, which may project through and above the said bar, so as to be readily accessible. l

In practice it is customaryin displaying the corpse to slide the screen back, in which event it folds up and assumes approximately the position indicated in dotted lines in Figs. l and 2. The bar D may be moved out of sight underneath the central panel, as shown in dotted lines. After the ceremony the Window may remain uncovered, or, if desired, the screen may be pulled into the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, Where it may be retained so long as desired.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of my invention, in which instead of causing the screen to fold up, as shown in Fig. 2, when it is pushed back I employ a spring-roller J at the inner upper portion of the casket and out of view, which spring-roller may have cords J', leading to the screen, which in other respects corresponds to that shown in Fig. l. In this modification the edges of the screen 'may be guided upon the means corresponding to the cords or Wires E E, or, if desired, the edges of the screen itself may be so selvaged as to be sufficiently stiff to retain their proper form. In this modification it is simply necessary to release the latch, such as shown in Figs. l and 2, whereupon the spring-roller will Withdraw the screen bodily, so that the sliding bar D', Fig. 4, Will be carried back from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines. This is obviously merely a modification of the means shown in Figs. l to 3, inclusive, the only change being the addition of the spring-roller to Withdraw the screen instead of making it necessary to push the screen back by hand. I have found in practice that either form is entirely satisfactory. The ends of the slidebars D in Figs. l and 2 serve to pucker or fold the screen, so that When pushed entirely back it assumes approximately the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

I have found itv difficult to illustrate the IOO body of the screen, and in the drawings I have therefore merely illustrated a portion of the same, the Center portion being broken out, although it should be understood, of course, 5 that the screen is intended when in use to cover the entire opening.

Various modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, the main idea being to provide an easily-op- 1o erated screen.

What I claim is- In a burial-casket, an opening in the upper head portion thereof, a foraminous screen therefor, longitudinal grooves formed in the opposite inside walls of said opening, the side x5 edges of said screen project-ing into said grooves, and a stationary guide Wire or oord in each of said grooves engaging the edges of said screen, means for holding one end of the screen Within the casket, and a sliding bar zo attached to the other end of said screen.

FREDERICK DAHIN.

Witnesses:

R. C. MITCHELL, L. VREELAND. 

